Nursing Responsibilities

Nurses General Nursing

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loriangel14, RN

6,931 Posts

Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

Where i work there is no such thing as an aide, tech, orderly or CNA. Nurses do AlLL their own cares including bedpans and it makes no difference what the letters after your name are.

CathyLew

463 Posts

Specializes in MSP, Informatics.

I agree with the posts above, it is everyon's responsibility.

There are cases, where you don't have time. You may be in the room responding to the roomate who is having chest pain, having a crisis, etc...and the other roomate needs to get off the bedpan...in those cases it is appropriate to ask the pt to please put on his light, or do that for him, and explain to the pt that you have a crisis and can't leave the pt, or have to call the dr. (not just, Im busy, an aid will be along...)

and the CNA's will know if you are one of the ones who is always way too busy to take someone off a bedpan.... or if this is really a crisis.

littlelight98

21 Posts

This is not a serious question.

Do orderlies even exist in the real world any more?

I've been a nurse for 18 years, and I've never laid eyes on an "orderly."

I've only even heard that word on old TV shows.

And- imo, bedpans and BMs are two of the easiest, least stressful things you will deal with as a nurse.

Virgo_RN, BSN, RN

3,543 Posts

Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.
Do orderlies even exist in the real world any more?

I've been a nurse for 18 years, and I've never laid eyes on an "orderly."

I've only even heard that word on old TV shows.

And- imo, bedpans and BMs are two of the easiest, least stressful things you will deal with as a nurse.

We have a house orderly. They are a CNA who is available to the entire hospital to run errands, like patient transport when transporters are not available, running down to supply to get a piece of equipment, etc.

I agree with everyone else, BSNs are not immune to bedpans! However, I also agree with the post that if the nurse is busy with something that takes a higher priority, then it's perfectly okay to ask the CNA to do it. I've also noticed a lot of CNAs failing to offer toileting to patients, instead waiting until the patient asks or has already soiled their bed. Yes, basic nursing care is everyone's job, but on the flip side, this is why we have CNAs; to do these basic tasks so the nurses can focus on the higher level issues that cannot be delegated to an unlicensed person.

Specializes in CVICU.

Seriously? If I'm available I help with this. I hate it, but I help. I mean, I really hate even the notion of "bedpan" but it's just as much my responsibility as it is the tech's! I should know, I was a tech for several years! It's everyone's responsibility.

Daytonite, BSN, RN

1 Article; 14,603 Posts

Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.
Are BSN's working in the hospital responsible for bedpans? Or is it a nursing aid or orderly?

You are a student, aren't you? An RN doesn't even need to ask this question. Yes, BSNs working in the hospital are responsible for bedpans by virtue of the fact that they are responsible for the overall management of the care of the patients. They may delegate out bedpan duty to a nursing aide or orderly, but the BSN will be ultimately responsible that the subordinate workers carry out their job assignments.

loriangel14, RN

6,931 Posts

Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

Right on.My charge nurse does as much toileting as any nurse on the floor. We have no aids so it is a nurse of some description that does it.

serjohn

12 Posts

Specializes in Pall, rehab.

just thought id post the nursing positions here in oz...

orderly: trained in only the more basic procedures (o2, iv management, not placement, cpr), and is generally responsible for patient transport to theatre, imaging etc.

ain: assistant in nursing. basic patient care procedures, adl's primarily. often a student rn.

en: enrolled nurse. has done a tafe (i guess thats community college) course in nursing. mostly adl's and some dressing changes. no sterile procedures or medications unless they have undergone further accreditation.

rn: registered nurse. has done a university degree (bachelor of nursing), administers medication, sterile procedures, and can initiate some treatments (paracetamol and o2, gastrostop mostly).

cne: clinical nurse educator: has done masters in nursing: education. as for rn, but also responsible for providing staff education. often undertakes hmmm... difficult or in-depth patient education.

cns: clinical nurse specialist: masters in nursing: specialising in a field. cares for all patients within a hospital that fall under particular specialty. also undertakes staff and patient education.

np: nurse practitioner. doctor of nursing. can prescribe treatments and some medications. works alongside the doctors. there are not many of these in oz yet... i dream of getting there one day! :plsebeg:

all our nurses are responsible for adl's, hygiene and toileting. all are responsible for patient education, provided it falls within their scope of practice.

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